The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kogi state chapter, has alleged that Governor Usman Ododo and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are plotting to circumvent the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government (LG) autonomy.
Recall that the Supreme Court in its judgement delivered on Thursday, July 11, granted financial autonomy to the local governments in Nigeria.
The apex court ordered direct allocation payment to all the 774 local government areas in Nigeria and stopped the governors from dissolving the local government administration and appointing caretaker committees.
The seven-member panel of justices held that the governors had abused their powers by retaining and using the funds meant for LGAs.
In a statement signed by Alhaji Ibrahim Dansofo, and made available to TimesNow.com.ng on Wednesday, July 24, Kogi PDP accused Governor Ododo of planning to install his loyalists as local government chairmen to maintain control over local government accounts.
The party also alleged that Ododo’s declaration that the Joint Allocation Account (JAC) is constitutional shows his ignorance of the Supreme Court’s ruling, which abolished JAC.
The PDP also recalled the era of Yahaya Bello’s administration, where local government chairmen would withdraw funds and deliver them to the government house. The party alleged that Ododo, as the then Auditor General of Local Government, was complicit in this practice.
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that Governor Usman Ododo was urged to uphold the rule of law in his quest to erase corruption in Kogi state.
A political activist in Kogi state, Comrade Usman Okai Austin, made this call as he condemned the ‘unjust’ application of state power regarding the EFCC’s case against Yahaya Bello.
In an exclusive interview with TimesNow.com.ng, Comrade Okai urged Ododo to give way for the âprobe of Yayaya Bello’s alleged N80 billion financial crimeâ.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
